If fate decided
by peaches-and-tea
Summary: What if Chise didn't sell herself into slavery? How would she meet Elias?
1. Chapter 1: Nothing to lose

Authors Note:

What if Chise didn't sell herself? How would she meet Elias? I have been pondering the thought by itself for some time now. Thus here is my first chapter.

Sometimes no matter what is decided, your fate has already been decided.

I'm exhausted, I'm sixteen and living on the streets and I'm terrified. I've already contemplated suicide already... what's the point of living? Nobody wants me, I'm treated like a burden to everyone in this family. I don't know what else to do. Everything hurts, with bruises caked on my body to being forced to carry a heart so heavy it has almost become unbearable. As far as I know, I need to get out of here. I have been saving for a plane ticket and my new life for over a year now. My dream has been to take the first plane out. That's the only thing that's getting me out of my sleeping bag, and helping me stay motivated. Hopefully, I can live a life and smile. Perhaps I can have a bed, have a place I can call home and maybe I can have happiness. I just don't really know how much longer I can deal with this pain, the guilt I carry for being born.

It's almost time for work, just a couple more weeks till I can abandon this place I used to call home. I have already decided to give my two-weeks notice today. This place is hell; I just want to start off new.

I walk into a gas station and make my way to the washroom and lock the door behind me. Reaching into my bag I grab my bar of soap and shampoo and let the sink run as I toss my head into the sink. I let the water run over my head and began to think about how nice it would be to be able to have a bath. I jump out of my clothes and began to scoop water onto my body. I ran the bar of soap on top of my arms, chest, and legs. Suddenly, almost out of nowhere, someone was banging on the door. "Hey? What are you doing in there?" I heard a man with a rough voice yell.

"Uh, just a minute!" I began to panic as I tried to rinse my body with the paper towel and almost tripped as I wiggled my way into dry clothing. It's hard putting dry clothes on when you're wet. I guess I have come to this place far too many times, they must have caught on. With hair dripping wet, I stuff my bag with the rest of my belongings. I open the door to see a man who looked furious, I could see the veins in his forehead protruding.

"What the hell do you think you are doing in there?"The man was enraged. He grabbed me by my hoodie as he yanked me towards his face. I could feel the heat from his body and smell the stench of his breath. "Get the hell out of my store." He almost let me go but instead, he yanked me by my ear and tugged me towards his face "Don't you dare think about coming back!"I held my breath out of habit, out of fear. He then let me go and stepped aside. I ran as fast as I could out of the gas station as I felt every ones' eyes on me. I couldn't help but engulf myself in shame. Who in their right mind would want to live like this? I don't want to be here. My heart started to throb as my eyes began to water with tears. Hopefully, I have enough money for rent where ever I end up. I should have left sooner, I should have gotten my plane ticket a long time ago.

I came to work with tears in my eyes and as soon as my manager saw me she pulled me aside to try and get an answer. I finally managed to give her words instead of sobs.

"I'm giving you my two-week notice." I sniffled. She looked at me with pity. I don't want pity. She gave my head a pat, told me that she would be happy if I ever wanted to come back. Maybe it should've made me feel better, but it didn't. I just want out. "Thank you," I said with a forced smile.

I did my best to finish my day strong. But time, unfortunately, moved slower than usual.

Soon the weeks melted away and I wondered where fate would take me. I grew impatient. I began to rely on work for food. Any food that they would be thrown out my boss gave to me. Two-day-old bread or whatever was still good but they couldn't sell to customers. I suppose, whatever money I can save is the best thing I can do.

I don't have anyone else, just these creatures that I see that no one else can see. I've tried to ignore the creatures, but they seem to always follow me. Some of them are kind, very cute and funny. But there are some that are scary and have actually tried to kill me. Nobody believes me and that is partially why I am where I am right now... The only people who could see them too, where my parents and neither of them wished to raise me. Part of me wished I wasn't so alone in this world, yet it made me glad in a way. At least I am not too much of a burden to anyone anymore. I am a curse.

The last day of work was a relief. I was still very tired, but today I could actually smile. Once my shift was over I went to go find a park to tent it for the night.

It was actually a really nice night out. What if I just left tonight? My heart jumped. I'm being radical. But it was an idea. To be really honest, I really don't care. I was originally just going to leave the first thing in the morning but if I leave tonight then at least I will have a place to sleep for the night. I got up from where I was at and began to walk to the airport. By the time I got to the airport, it had been 2 AM. I let out a defeated sigh as I approached a woman at the desk.

"Where to?" she asked with a perfect plastic smile.

Looking up at the screen, the next plane to leave was going to London.

"London."


	2. Chapter 2: London

As everyone started to board the plane, I felt like I was leaving some part of myself behind. I longed for happiness. Though I soon found traces of fear, weaving its threads into my most inner dwelling place. I really don't know anything about England. As I stood in line with all the other people in front of me, I began to observe a new family that was a few people ahead of me. A mother was holding her infant as the father rummaged through their carry-ons. A sudden flashback hit me of my mother, father, and brother. I brushed the memory away as I continued to observe the people in line. Infront of the new family was an elderly woman, who carried a soft tender smile. Infront of her was a very stern, well-postured man who wore a business suit and carried a briefcase in his left hand and was looking down at his cell phone in his right hand. I felt a small sense of envy of how all these people somehow had a place in this world. I let my jealousy blossom into hope, hope that I can find my place in this world too.

As I got on to the plane I realized that it was a smaller plane. Everyone was crammed tightly together. The younger family gushed over their child as it started to cry. I recognized everyone's discomfort and soon, I could feel the atmosphere on the plane was starting to get heavy. It was already beginning to get more difficult to breathe. I fumbled as I tried to edge myself closer to my seat. I finally was able to sit down and look out my window and avoid eye contact from all these mindless strangers. At this point, the child was in such a bewildering state that it was screaming bloody murder. I sympathized with the parents, knowing very well that they were doing everything they could do ease everyone's' sanity. The flight attendants shuffled their way to the front of the plane and started to buckle up after they attempted to catch everyone's attention with their ritual of how to survive on the plane.

The plane's engine roared as it took off into the unforgiving world. I let my eyes rest and breathed in everyone's relief of knowing that they were well off in their journey.

The plane ride was indeed, excruciatingly long. I woke up every half hour due to the turbulence. But when the plane landed I found myself even more exhausted than I was before I boarded the plane.

Getting off the plane, everything felt so flustered. I carefully merged myself in with the crowd of people, everyone was so frantic and moved in such careless haste. Grabbing my luggage I began to relax in my own skin again. Though, I still have to find a place to tent it tonight. I felt extremely overwhelmed to the point of trembling. The defeating thought that I was in a place where I didn't know much of anything, somehow shook me to the core. ' _I just have to take this one step at a time'_ I told myself. Tomorrow I will look for a job. If I can find a computer cafe, I can make a resume and start looking for a place to rent. Looking around the airport I was able to find a map, but it wasn't much help to me at all. Perhaps I will want to be in a more quiet place, London is a very busy and frantic city. I foolishly started to wander the streets of London, hoping that whatever path I was on would lead me to a safe haven.

I was able to manage to find a beautiful place to tent it, though that was after I walked for a good two hours and convinced myself to ride on a train. I wasn't sure where the train was taking me, but I was desperate to find a peaceful place to lay my head. I was soon bathed in an overabundance of excitement and unity of self-assurance that everything, from this point on, would be okay. Without warning, I had the urge to get off the transit. It was a bit unexpected but, I was being a bit of a free spirit at this moment in my life. I grabbed my backpack and my oversized purse and waited for the doors to open. It seems that I was on the outskirts of London. A small little community surrounded by a sea of forest and wildlife. I always felt rooted when I indulged myself in the life of the forest. I began to let myself wonder the kingdom of trees, shrubs, and vegetation. I wanted to be as far away from people as I can. I was able to find a nice small clear space to set up and camp.

I put up my tent and rolled out my sleeping bag. It was almost ritual packing and unpacking. Though, out here in the forest I do hope that I don't get too many unwanted visitors. I laid myself down and began to trace back the hours of my day. Indeed, it was a long devouring day. I began to feel myself drift off from reality as smothered myself in the extra blankets I wrapped myself in. I don't really know what the weather is like here in London, but nothing is worse than waking up cold and hungry. I was used to being hungry. A trick I learned when I was younger was to swallow air, it dulls the hunger pangs.

I listened to the crickets and the branches of the trees dancing in the midnight breeze.

I smiled to myself. "This is perfect."


	3. Chapter 3: A safe Haven

Waking up, I felt almost at peace, despite the fact that my stomach roared in agony from hunger. I listened to the songs of the birds and smiled to myself. Looking up at the roof of my tent I could see shadows of the trees and its leaves moving with the morning breeze. I twisted in my sleeping bag, drowning in the abyss of blankets. _I should probably get up and find some food for myself._ I let out a long sigh. Today, I will attempt to find some new clothes so I can look somewhat presentable for a job. If I am to live out here in the forest, I will need a few extra things to help me survive out here in the woods. Hopefully, I can find a thrift store to get everything I need to ensure my survival out here in the woods. Not that I plan to live out here for very long. If I can live out here undetected from people, I may have some time finding a better place to live. I sat up from my bed and grabbed my oversized purse. I began to dig in my backpack for a change of clothes, a towel, a bar of soap, shampoo and my toothbrush. I really need to wash up if I am going to the city. I poked my head out of the tent as I heard small strings of laughter. I looked around to see who was around. I courageously stepped out the tent.

"Hello!" I looked up to see a school of fairies. They had small little wings and feet like a bird. "Uhm, hello," I said with wide eyes.

"Fancy meeting a human girl out here all by herself." One said as she flew closer to my face.

"Oh, well I'm just of passing through." I nervously smiled.

"Shame" the little fairy creature huffed. "It's nice to have someone see us." One of the creatures confessed.

"What are you? Are you a fairy?" I asked.

"You humans like to call us that! You can just call us your neighbors!" I nodded.

"Say," the neighbor flew closer to me "You're a sleigh beggy aren't you?"

"A what?"

"You are so precious! Our sweet little robin! Sweeter than honey, more precious than gold!" The creature kissed me on the cheek as the other neighbors started to dance around me. "Oh, how wonderful!" The neighbor sang. "What is your name dear robin?"

"My name is Chise." I began to feel unsure and confused. I usually don't talk to creatures like these very often. I have seen them before, though I do not let myself get involved in many conversations many creatures. I drew myself out of my tent and started to walk aimlessly in the wilderness.

"Where are you going?" One questioned me.

"I want to try to find a place to wash up," I mumbled.

"We can help you, our sweet little robin!" They all began to fly before me, part of me hesitated but I followed them anyways. I was mildly amused with their questions as they led me to a small creek.

"Thank you." I bowed in gratitude.

I began to fling off my clothes as I started to rinse my body in the frigid, icy cold water. I skimmed the bar of soap entirely over my body as soaked my head in the cold, yet refreshing water. I scrubbed my body till I was satisfied. I was confident that I was clean enough to get dressed. I seized my towel and began to dry myself off. With chattering teeth and a body trembling, I managed to pull my blue, loose-fitting, shapeless blue cozy knitted sweater over my head. I jumped into the rest of my clothes. I wore a black knee lengthed skirt, plain black shoes and ankle length socks. I started to brush out my hair, even though my hair was short I managed to find globs of knots every stroke. I finished up the minor details of getting ready so that I don't look like I was homeless.

I soon took notice of how quiet it was. Looking around, the neighbor creatures where nowhere to be found. _Curious little creatures_ , I thought to myself. I took myself back to camp and started to prep for the city. Grabbing my USB drive and change purse. I put my dirty clothes in a neat small pile on the tent floor and made my way out of the forest. As I launched myself out of the forest, I felt washed with warmth and harmony within myself. My mind grew silent as I made my way to the train station. Soon enough, I was on the train that led me back to the city.

First things first I need to go to the bank, I need to exchange money so that I can pay for things here. Which it didn't take long, I made sure to stop and ask for directions and not long after, I found a bank. I let myself saunter the streets of London. Not long after I was able to find a thrift store, I bought a couple of pots and pans, a cup, a bowl, a small alarm clock that ran on batteries, cutlery, a rack to place overtop a fire, a kettle and a few pairs of skirts, jeans, shirts, and sweaters. I was pleased that I spent almost next to nothing for these items.

My next stop was the internet cafe. I asked for directions of course, and to my surprise, I was planted in front of a computer screen, with a plate of food and a cup of coffee writing out my resume. Though I didn't have a cell phone for them to contact me or an address, I put down my email address instead. I may have to come back and visit this internet cafe. Which was fine with me, I nearly have the world at my fingertips! I printed off my the cafe, I started to make my way back to the train station. Of course, I left a trail of resumes behind me. I applied at a couple of coffee shops, retail stores and anything else I could find.

As I walked down a street, I felt an uninvited shiver run down my back. It was a familiar feeling, I could tell that something dreadful was following me. I began to quicken my pace and pretend I didn't notice it. Sometimes, if I don't pay much attention to some creatures, they lose interest and stop bothering me.

I could feel my heart begin to pound furiously inside of my chest, as the creature started to inch closer to me. I didn't want to turn around and look at it, then it would know that I could see it. I could smell it. It smelled damp and musty, perhaps a little sour as well. The heat of its breath ran down my neck. I felt something wet drip down my forehead. It was salivating. _I knew at that moment that it was going to eat me if I don't start running now._ It began to snarl and nip at my ankles as I foolishly began to run. It became evident that I wasn't going to outrun this creature. I took a sudden sharp turn and ran into the closest store. Though, as soon as I touched the door the creature belted into a rage and screamed at me. I looked back to see the creature was formless, just matted globs of sludge. It had two tiny beady red eyes and carried hundreds of needle-like teeth that held a bluish black tongue. What was that thing? I stood behind the door staring at it. It began to shake with anger, soon it tore its gaze off of me and disappeared in its thirst for my blood. My heart was still racing, my hands were shaking as I peeled myself away from the door and sunk deeper into this store.

I wasn't even sure if anyone was here. The store was dead and there were just aisles of books.


	4. Chapter 4: The bookstore

' _That beast clearly did not aspire to even step one toe in the store.'_ I thought to myself as I began to catch my breath. I turned to look at the door again, just to make sure that I was safe. It was then, that I realized how quiet the store really was, _was this store even open_? _There was no way I was going back outside, till I know for sure that, that thing was gone._ I began to rummage through the bookstore, though nothing really looked very appealing to me. The only thing that was interesting about the store was small glowing sparkles that moved throughout the store. It was like dust in the sunlight the way they were glistening, it was like they were small fragments of magic or something. The store by itself was different, it had a calm and soothing atmosphere. It felt very structured and secure.

After going through a couple rows of books, I found a book that seemed to intrigue me. The book was distinct from the other books, it had colors that no other books seemed to carry, just maybe a couple sheets of dust on it like the other books. Flipping the book open, my eyes began to dance from page to page. I wasn't too sure if I knew exactly what I was reading but it had to do with rocks, gems and what combination did what. I began to nervously chew on my lip as I suddenly became fabulously absorbed in this book. I began to read about the _Fairy Cross Stone_ and its healing properties. _**It's been known to help people to stay grounded and is widely known to help keep one soothed as it gives aid to those who suffer from anxiety, stress, and fears.** _I began to read more about the stone until I heard the door open. My heart started to beat furiously as my mind jumped to worse case scenarios.

"Angie? Angelica!" A male voice sang.

"Ainsworth? Wow, look what the cat dragged in! Finally decided to step out your hidey hole into the big wide world huh?" a voice called out from the back of the store. _I guess someone is here._ I listened to these two people bicker back and forth till the guy passed me. I was crammed in an aisle with my bags with my back leaning against a wall. Though he must have seen me from the corner of his eye because he took a step back and stared at me. Wide-eyed and a loss for words I just stared back. He had long blond hair that went past his jaw, light brown eyes and was very tall in stature. _Was it not okay if I was here or am I somehow intruding?  
_

"You do realize you have a customer, right?" the man smirked.

"What?" the womans' voice echoed from the back. I closed the book shut and was about to put the book back on the shelf till I realized that the man stepped aside and let the owner glance into the aisle

"Oh, hi there!" The woman said with an inviting voice. I just wanted to shrink or maybe somehow be absorbed by the wall and disappear. "You know this isn't a library, _right_?" I nodded and put the book back on the shelf. "Hold on, what did you find there lass?" The woman approached me, grabbing the book from the shelf. "That is where it went! I've been wondering where it ended up! I had a client wanting to read it." the woman smiled and began to look at me strangely. She wore a white tank top, her hair had multiple braids and she had something to cover her forearm. "How did you find this?" she cocked one eyebrow up as stared at me intently. I looked down and shrugged. "Not much of a talker huh? I guess you do have some good features about you though, not surprised if you would be able to pick out this book out of the whole store." She sighed with a knowing smile. I stood motionless staring at the floor. _Can I just die?_ I wasn't sure what she meant by good features, was that a good or bad thing?

"Why don't you come on back? You look like you can use a cup of tea." the lady broke the silence. I looked up to find myself staring her in the eyes. "Come on, we aren't going to bite you. You look like you just seen a ghost or something." She put her hand on my shoulder and guided me to the back.

"So, Ainsworth what brings you out?"

"I have some items to drop off and pick up." She led us to the back room.

"You can just put your stuff there." The woman motioned her hands to a corner by the doorway. I nodded as I put the couple of bags down, I then stood by the doorway and looked up at the strangers. I made sure that I stood as motionless and as silent as possible.

"Well go ahead take a seat, I'm just boiling the water. I'm Angelica by the way, and this is Elias." I glanced at both of them and nodded.

"You must at least have a name?" Elias spoke up

"It's Chise, Chise Hatori."

"So it speaks!" Angelica chimed. I began to blush as I took a seat while looking around, there was a lot of creatures here. Some of them were flying, others crawled and a few others were clinging on to gems or certain objects.

It was then that I realized Elias was looking me intently, with his brows slightly knit together and his head slightly tilted to one side. I then looked at the ground and pretended I didn't exist, though I felt like I was the elephant in the room. "Here you go," Angelica handed me a cup of tea. I looked at her hand and looked up at her face "Well go ahead and take it, it's not going to hurt you." _Why were these people being so nice?_ I mean Elias is a bit strange, however, I suppose we're all odd in some way. "Thank you, it smells lovely" I held the cup in my hand and put it on the table beside me. Why am I here? Maybe if I had a job I could just say 'I have to get going to work' or something responsible of some sort.

"So, what did you come to drop off Ainsworth?" Angelica fixed her focus on her other customer and the two began to engage in a light conversation. It seemed like they were pretty good friends or perhaps more than just friends? I sipped my tea, it was absolutely delicious, it tasted fresh, sleek, earthy and slightly spicy. I drew circles in the cup with the tea bag, making sudden glances here and there at the creatures around me. There was a salamander type of creature that suddenly appeared, it was a bit vocal, pretty much everytime it moved it hummed or hawed at something. It started to approach me and crawl up my leg, then wiggled onto my lap. It sniffed and poked my chin with its wet soft nose as it made small little-humming noises in its throat. I looked up to see the Elias and Angelica still talking, so I decided to let it nibble on my fingers and lick my hand. I almost burst out in laughter but I just bit my lips and smiled.

"As I thought, you do have the sight. How fortunate." I looked up to see Elias looking at me. I nervously took my hand back as the salamander creature crawled back down my leg as if it's feeling were suddenly hurt. I grew restless. Memories flashed through my eyes of my childhood. Peoples comments flooded my ears, I took a sharp breath and closed my eyes.

"I have never been fortunate, not even once in my life." Words spilled out of my mouth like a weapon, I wasn't even positive where it came from. Everything shifted into silence, it was so quiet, that if someone dropped a feather, you could probably hear it. "I think I should go, I have to catch the train" I muttered as I got up and headed for the door and grabbed my stuff.

"Wait, Chi-" Angelica cried out

"Thank you for the tea, it was really lovely" I managed to blurt out.

"See, look what you did! You scared her off." I heard Angelica say as I ran out of the bookstore.

I ran a few blocks down before I started to walk quickly again. Though I must have acted like a spoiled child, I have never been blessed with having this site. A memory shot through my mind. Mom was strangling me as she pinned me down with her body. Her voice was trembling as tears crept past her eyelids as she said: **"You should have never been born."**

Maybe if I wasn't born I would have been fortunate.

 _Authors notes:_

 _Well, Chise has officially met Elias. Though I feel that because of Chise's history she isn't very fond of telling people of what she sees._

 _Let me know what your thoughts are! How do you think Chise and Elias will meet again?_

 _Regardless will be updating soon! Make sure you let me know what you think._


	5. Chapter 5: The battle of the mind

_"The toughest battle you'll ever fight in your life is the battle within yourself." -Anonymous_

* * *

After I proceeded to get off the train, I unloaded my stuff off at my small campsite. I began to look at my new life, out here in the woods.  
 _Alone._  
For quite some time I have always felt directionless but as of now, I thought I found the motivation to find out where I belong. I discovered myself beginning to woolgather, losing myself from time and reality.

 _Could I ever carry any resemblance of importance to someone one day? Will I ever find happiness, comfort or even the slightest satisfaction in life?_ I felt myself falling into my minds snare, or rather, I became captured by the mysteries of what would make me want to live. _What would give me the right or a reason to live on this planet. Rather, am I truly suppose to be here?_ Shards of sadness began to penetrate my soul as I felt myself sinking into an unreachable place. I felt as if I had become captured and tied down by these fresh emotions. _Why did I even decide to move to England? I could have ended it all that day, that one glorious thoughtful day. Why did I hesitate? Why didn't I just jump? Death seems so peaceful. **Oh death, where is your sting?** I have no fear of such thing, no, I would embrace it. If I ever came face to face with my fate, I would let it take me willingly. That is the day, I dream will come soon. Why should I think, when I could just do it? I could end my life right here, right now! But I could have just done it then as well. Standing before my fall, the absolute decision before the final crime. Would it be such a crime or a sin to take my own life? If my life was indeed given and is seen as a gift, then perhaps I should have just jumped and embraced the fact that this life was mine to take._ I felt myself ease and sink lower and lower, drowning in these roaring thoughts. _Why should I let myself live? Why did I decide to give life one more chance even though I know what the outcome is going to be? Hope? Desperation?_

It was not very long till I realized that it would be only a few hours before sundown. I began to head into town to see if I could get some food. Though, recovering from these kinds of episodes can take a while. As I wondered my way towards town, my mind still pondered on many things. Though, it did make time pass. Soon, I was embraced by a small town, furthermore, I did not have to walk very far to find a lovely petite store that carried a generous amount of staple foods. The building was old, with ivy's creeping up and around the building. The entrance was inviting, with lilac trees soaring around the door which gave an attractive fragrance. Walking in I was able to find what I needed, I grabbed some fruits, rice, beans, teas, a small assortment of veggies that would last a few days and of course, some water. I even bought a small pack of laundry pods for laundry day tomorrow. I approached the cashier at the front of the store, of course, she greeted me with a warm smile. She was well aged with a head full of hair that was as white as salt and had a face full of wrinkles. The one youthful thing about this woman was the sparkle she carried in her dark brown eyes.

"So, you must be new to town, I haven't seen you around here before!" The lady at the till said as she welcomed me.

"Uhm Yes, just passing through." "I see." The older lady started to scan in my groceries. "Unless you are hiring? Or do you know anyone that is hiring?" The lady looked at me thoughtfully,

"I don't think anyone here is hiring." she paused for a few moments "Ah! But I do know someone from a couple towns west! He just opened up a new bakery. I know the owner but you can just say that Ainsley sent you. You will want to ask for Thomas. It's a nice town over there."

"Thank you so much, ma'am." I bowed and paid for my groceries.

"Good luck, dear! And don't wear such a long face, will you? Just smile and you will do just fine." She reached over and pinched my cheek as she walked me to the door and handed me my groceries. She was very kind. Though I forgot to smile when I was in the store, I hope I remember to smile tomorrow.

I started to make myself some rice, beans, and veggies when I got back to the camp. I was hopeful to get a job tomorrow, but even if I do not get hired I can always go back into town and check my email and see if anyone replied. As evening approached I cleaned my dishes, grabbed some rope and an old t-shirt and put my food up in a tree for the night. I watched the fire slowly die as the stars came out. I Listened to the birds, as they sang their beautiful farewells to the sun. It was amazing to go to bed with a stomach full of food, I almost forgot how it felt. Climbing into my tent, I stripped myself out of all the old clothing and got into something a bit more comfortable. One thing I do look forward to, tomorrow is clean clothes! I turned the alarm clock on, I need to start waking up at a decent time. Letting myself drift off, I felt like it was a long tedious and lacerating day. The moment my head sunk into the pillow, I fell asleep.

I woke up to an alarm clock piercing my eardrums, it was definitely an unpleasant way to wake up. I declared my annoyance as I smacked the snooze button and let my body curl back up in the sleeping bag. I guess I dozed off again because minutes later, I woke up again to the alarm clock. Defeated by time, I ripped myself from the comfort and warmth and started to dress and get ready for the day. My teeth chattered as I attired. I made my bed and grabbed my toothbrush and my shoes. Making my way to the creek I heard one of the aerials greet me.

"Good morning our sweet little Robin." I heard a small voice fly around my head.

"Good morning!" I yawned.

I walked myself over to the creek and doused my toothbrush into the creek, squeezing the last remainders of toothpaste onto my brush. The little neighbor was still buzzing around my head as I attempted to look somewhat presentable for today. I splashed my face and headed back to camp.

"So, what are your plans for today Chise?"

"To get a job" I grunted.

After getting ready and having a couple pieces of fruit, I made my way over to the train station. I had my oversized purse strapped across my chest, looking over I could see the sun was beginning to peak through the trees. A nice cool breeze stretched and eased its way into the land. I admired the pink and yellow painted sky, it was a good touch to my morning. My concentration broke as the train approached, the bakery was just a couple towns west. I closed my eyes and breathed in sharply and got onto the train.

Hopping off the train I began to wander around. Was I going the right way? I was on the path for a few minutes till I saw a priest approaching me on a path. I began to shift my steps towards him and even though I didn't want to make eye contact, I looked him straight in the eyes. He began to smile.

"Hello!" He chimed.

"Hello." I managed to squeeze out a greeting. "I was wondering if you knew where the new bakery is?"

"Ah! You going to apply for a job?" He smiled. "I can actually take you there myself! I have a house visit close by." He mused."My name is Simon," he reached out his hand for a handshake.

"My name is Chise, Chise Hatori." I reached out to grab his hand and shook it. We began to walk.

"So, Chise, you from England?"

"I'm from Japan."

"Oh! You must have family here. How long have you been here?"

"A few days"

"Well, you speak English very well, how did you learn to speak English so well?"

"Oh, well I had a few jobs where we constantly got tourists. So I decided to learn some English. I read a lot of books and studied for quite some time. It is the worlds third most spoken language next to Spanish. I learned a little bit in school too, but that was when I was a lot younger."

"Well, I certainly do hope you like it here! If you ever need anything, you can usually find me at the church."

"Thank you, Simon." I smiled.

 _I could tell he was a nice man. He had long blond hair, though his hair was held back with a ponytail. He reminded me of someone, which made me begin to ponder. He had a long narrow face, brown eyes, lean and tall in stature, broad shoulders and a pleasant smile. He was a gentle soul. Though when I thought about it, he reminded a bit of the man I met yesterday. The two do have a lot of similar features, though the man I met yesterday was much taller and more filled out than Simon. What was his name again? Ugh, oh well. I won't be seeing him again so I guess I don't need to remember his name._

I began to breathe in the crisp morning air. It was very beautiful out here. He walked me to the bakery and led me in. I felt like he was going out of his way to give me simple directions.

"Thomas!" Simon Hollered.

"Is that you Father Simon?" A middle-aged man appeared to the front of the bakery. I could smell fresh bread being made, it gave the bakery a warm and homey feeling.

"I brought you a worker!"

"Ah! Yes, I need some of those!" He started to observe me.

"What's your name?"

"Chise, sir." I bowed

"She just moved here from Japan," Simon said

"Oh! Well welcome! "

"Ainsley told me that you were hiring." I looked up at Thomas

"Oh! She called and told me she sent a little red-headed girl. Splendid!" Thomas smiled. He had dark brown hair, glasses and wore a black apron dusted in flour. I handed him a resume. He began to observe and read it.

"Now it says fulltime, aren't you a bit young to be working fulltime? Shouldn't you be in school?" Thomas looked me in the eyes.

"Uh, well I have had to work for the last few years, once I save up and have a place I would like to do some correspondence." I realized both men were looking at me with wide eyes.

"Where are your parents?" Simon asked

"I'm an orphan, sir."

"And your family? You don't have anyone to take care of you back home?" Thomas began to prod.

"I guess I wouldn't be here if I had someone who wanted me" I snorted. There was a long pause before anyone said anything.

"Out of all places, you decided to come to England." The baker shook his head in disbelief. "Why England?" He continued

"I suppose I felt a bit spontaneous and needed a new outlook on life." Simon was beginning to look at me closely, close enough I could almost see a bit of sadness in his eyes.

"I suppose that is fair! When can you start?" Thomas switched the topic.

"Now, if you would like," I said plainly

"Hmm, How about first thing in the morning? I have a couple more people starting tomorrow, might as well teach you all at once." the man smiled. I nodded with approval."And uh, we will discuss payment methods... since you are from Japan and all. It may have to be under the table till we get you all set up here. Which is something I think Father Simon and I can try and do."

"Thank you." I let a small smile.

"Let's go Chise," Simon and I exited the bakery.

"Chise, don't tell me you don't have have a place to live."

"I have a place to live."

"You just said that you were waiting to find a place to live did you not?"

"Well, for now, I'm tenting it. It's like camping. I don't mind it."

"You know, I do know a couple of people who would be willing to lend you a hand-"

"No need Father Simon, you really have helped me so much already."

"The forests here.. are a bit different than Japan y' know... You never know what's out there." He stopped walking and faced me.

"What happened to your parents?"

"Oh, uhm." I swallowed. "My Mom died.. and my dad, he left with my brother. No one knows where they are." I trailed off. It's as if his face froze

"I'm sorry to hear that," He said in a hushed voice.

"It's okay," I smiled. "It happened a long time ago." I was feeling a bit uncomfortable revealing so much about myself.

"Well, I hope you get what you are looking for Chise." Simon frowned

"I hope so too"

* * *

 _Authours Notes_

 _Before Chise ever met Elias, I know that she was battling with depression. At least that is what the anime and the manga hint.  
Because of Chise's history: having nobody, I really can sympathize and empathize._

 _I feel like Chise is a great character to inspire people.  
I love how Kore made Chise into a character that a lot of people can really relate too on a deep and personal level.  
Anyway, I wanted to write about some of the battles we all sometimes have to face.  
Depression, suicide and having to paint on a face that everything is somehow okay after having such a draining encounter.  
In this chapter Chise gets a job and ... she is now working in the same town Elias is living in. I mean.. she thinks she will never meet him again so... haha. lol  
_

 _My question for you is_ _: How can you relate to Chise? Does this Manga/Anime somehow speak to you in a personal way? How does it pull at your heartstrings?_

 _Let me know what your thoughts are! Even if you have any recommendations or want to share some ideas! I do really take what you think into consideration! One of you wanted to know how Chise learned English so well, so I had to think and find out how she could have learned English. As well as I went back and edited some chapters and made it easier to read. One of you said that it was hard to follow conversations when they are all balled up into one paragraph! So wallah! Hope it makes reading a bit easier for you._

 _Take care, and know you're amazing!_

 _Peaches-and-tea_


	6. Chapter 6: meeting a mage

It had been two months since I have been working at the bakery. I found a bachelor apartment that had a living room, kitchen, and bathroom. Though it was run down I was adept enough to give it a little facelift. It was amazing what a little bit of paint can do. I even found some house plants fill it with, it was a very nice touch. I still do not have a bed, but I was able to find a fold up mat for a good price, it was made more for outside furniture, but it is a whole lot comfier than the bare floor. I even have my own personal shower! I feel like I am slowly beginning to get a grip on certain things here in England.

Today was my day off and I wanted to go for a nice walk around town. The sunlight danced on the apartments' old wooden floors while the tv was blasting through the wall from the next door neighbor. I let out a small sigh as I locked the door behind me and began to walk down the stairs. The struggles of living on the top floor is that it never ceases to cool down. Walking outside was a little less humid, I breathed in the smooth warm air that carried the scent of grass and wildflowers. _Perhaps I should drop by work with some sweet iced tea from the coffee shop down the road. I can imagine that the bakery is hot, nevermind having to work while ovens are blasting off heat. Everyone would do good from something cold and refreshing._ Smiling to myself with the clever idea, I began to walk downtown with my red t-shirt, my oversized purse, and jean shorts. I listened to the sparrows twittering and the cicadas humming as the unforgiving sun beat down on the sidewalk. The wind was languid and just barely moved hot air, even the sky was bare; offering three clouds in the sky that barely attempted to shade the town from the sun. After getting some sweetened iced tea and escorting myself to the bakery, the door had been left wide open; it left me to be greeted with the warm scent of bread and pastries. Walking into the bakery was like walking into a sauna, Thomas was almost as red as a tomato while the other coworkers were shimmering with sweat.

"Oh please tell me that you're not thinking to drink all that by yourself!" Thomas begged.

"Well, it may have crossed my mind." I smiled.

"You're a god sent." He said as he caught his breath. I put the drink tray down as everyone began thanking me one by one as they proceeded to drink and relish in the refreshing sweet tea.

"There is supposed to be a storm tonight eh" one of the workers stated.

"Ah, we _need_ the rain!"Another chimed.

"So what are you up to today?" Thomas tilted his head in curiosity.

"Oi! Thomas, you should think of getting air conditioning in here! It's _dreadfully_ muggy in here!" Father Simon walked in.

"We just turned off all the ovens for the rest of the day." Thomas gasped in defeat and drank more sweet tea.

"What brings you to town?" Thomas prodded. He was incredibly nosy and needed to know everything.

"Oh, I was just in the neighborhood, thought I would make sure you weren't working Chise too hard in this heat."

"Gah! I decided to give her a day off, yet she just came in and with treats." He grumbled and winked at me.

"It was really nothing." I felt a bit abashed.

"Oh, Chise! Are you doing anything as of now?"Thomas asked as if he just remembered something.

"No, not really."

"It must have slipped my mind, but I needed to pick up some medicine for my wife, you see. You think you are up for a little hike?" his eyes had a glimmer of hope, though he knew I couldn't say no to a request like that.

"The money for the medicine is in this envelope. Everything else should be taken care of." He pulled out a small envelope of money and held it out before I could answer.

"I thought you gave her the day off?" Simon raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, I don't mind grabbing the medicine. I wanted to go for a walk anyways," I smiled. "It's really no trouble."

"I really appreciate your help." I grabbed the envelope and put it in my purse.

"Do y' know where to go?"

"No."

"I will give you some directions"

"It's okay Chise, I will take you there myself. If Thomas were to give you directions, you'de surely get very lost" Father Simon teased.

"Suppose it's true. I'm pretty bad at directions." Thomas admitted as he went another shade of red as he let out a sigh.

"I was going to be going there later anyway, but I now have a craving for something cold now. So let's grab something refreshing, shall we?"Simon looked at me with his goofy grin. "We should leave before it gets even hotter." Father Simon panted.

"Thank you Chise and thank you, Simon," Thomas waved and went to the back.

As we began to set out on our journey, I began to feel bad for Simon; since all he wore was black. I couldn't imagine how uncomfortable he must feel.

"So, is this a pharmacy we are going to?"

"I suppose you could say that. " Simon replied thoughtfully. "We actually don't have a pharmacy here. I suppose we do not exactly need one since we have someone who makes effective medicine. The whole village swears by his medicine y' know."

"That must be nice."

"I have gone to this guy for 10 years, and his medicine is the _only_ medicine that soothes my cough. I'm surprised no one has told you about him yet."

"So, is he some sort of herbalist then?"

"Mage actually, we have become something like friends over time actually. He is quite friendly, you'll like him."

 _A mage_? Like _Magic_ , _spells_ , and _charms_? _Could all that be true? And a priest is friends with a mage? I can't imagine how that friendship is supposed to work. I suppose if a priest is saying good things about him he can't be all that bad._ _I was really interested in meeting this mage now. I have never met a mage before._

As we walked Simon made small talk, he talked about this and that, the weather and what not. Nothing worth mentioning since it was just talking to get by time. Lately, we have been looking into ways to make me _legally_ able to live in England. There are a few options that we were able to look at. Since I am an orphan, I will most likely need a legal guardian, though that requires finding someone who wants to do that. I would rather not burden anyone and make them go through all of that. Thomas even recommended a few schools that use correspondents, the program doesn't require me being there unless I need help or have questions. Though there are also some online schooling I can take, but then that would mean I need to purchase a computer and get internet.

We continued to walk on dirt paths, crossing a small bridge that crossed over a stream, we were shaded by the trees for most of the time. The wind felt cooler and sweeter somehow. I could smell the shrubs, the fragrance of the leaves and the earth. It was the type of air that filled you with some sort of infinite peace. The trees were tall and majestic in their own way, they stood proudly with branches soaring high and still. It was almost a scene from a fairy tale how evenly spaced out they were. The grass stood lush and was softer than ever. I held my hand out and let the tips of grass tickle and lick my palms and fingertips.

"Almost there. " Simon said with a grin on his face. We were approaching fields as we began to stare down the declivity of the winding dirt road. It really was a lovely little hike. We began to approach a lovely old English style home made out of stones, it was an older house but very well kept. It wore vine plants that tangled and climbed amongst themselves on the sides of the house. You could see shrubs growing randomly here and there on the front lawn, then there were some bushes that were neatly folded beside the house. In all, the property was lavishing and very well kept.

As we approached the house I began to grow in my curiosity and excitement. Simon knocked on the door, it took only a moment till a lady answered the door. She wore a nice pink Victorian dress, her sleeves tapered down to her elbows as she wore a matching shawl and a bonnet with yellow roses on each side. She wore white gloves and had a pair of big sailor red eyes and blonde hair.

"Hello, Silver Lady is the usual ready?" She simply nodded, Simon then motioned to me "Thomas also has someone to pick up medicine for his wife, Meredith." Silver looked at me for a long moment and opened the door for us to come in.

"Hmm, she must really like you. " Simon observed. We were led into the main room. Simon took a seat and sighed. I followed him and sat on the opposite end, sitting tightly and looking around. The room was decorated with shelves full of books, a desk, a couple couches, a chair and a large low coffee table in the center of the house was very quiet, I could hear the clock ticking and the silver lady rummaging through the kitchen. I wonder what kind of books a mage would want to read, poetry? Novels? Perhaps most of these are spell books. I began to observe the creatures in the room, they all were beginning to hide for some reason. _Odd. They usually will stay out and do their own thing._ Simon let out another sigh and stretched his arms up in the air. It was then, that I heard footsteps approach the room.

"Ainsworth, I was beginning to wonder if you were even going to show up." Simon blurted out.

"You didn't have to wait. Your order is done." I kept my eyes glued to the ground.

"Heh yes, I know but Chise here decided to take it upon herself to lend a helping hand to Thomas and fetch his wife's medicine."

Looking up, there stood a creature, the creature then paused and turned his head towards me. He wore a long black robe with white threads carefully woven into his sleeves, a black vest, with a pure white undershirt, and a blue gemstone bolo necktie. His face was covered with a long red cloth, though one could clearly tell he wasn't human. His eye sockets sunken, you could see that his head was a skull. It was a k-nine skull perhaps. The creature had about an arms-length of spiraled horns that bore the color of reddish-bronze. I was enthralled and almost in awe of this creature until I realized why I was in awe. I began to wonder how his outfit was strikingly identical to the man I met at that bookstore. Even his voice was the same and that is when it hit me. It's because he was the man from the bookstore. _Perhaps I have met a mage before._ That was no bookstore, as I went back into my memory I can recall seeing many gems and tools, not to mention the types of creatures that swarmed the shop. My stomach sank, as my heart skipped a beat. That creature didn't want to even set foot in that shop because it must have been a store of a sorcerer. That is when his name suddenly fluttered back to mind and sat on my tongue "Elias?"I mumbled.

"You know this bonehead? You've only been here for a couple of months and the likely hood of meeting this old man outside of this house is a rare thing."Simon smiled as I began to blush profusely. I was sure I wasn't going to meet him ever again, yet out of all places we basically live in the same town.

"Tell me, did you run away scared? It's okay if you did, I'm here to comfort and support."Simon snorted.

"Die."Elias plainly said as he sat down. I looked down in shame. It hadn't been exactly the proudest moments in my life, though being called out in an unfamiliar place was quite unexpected.

"Chise? You alright?"Simon questioned. I wasn't sure how to answer his question.

"I'm fine, no need to worry." I looked up and smiled. Silky then walked in with tea. She gave one to Simon as she pretty much glared at him and then turned to me with a warm smile while handing me a cup of tea.

"Thank you." She then came up behind me and put her arms around me from behind the couch. "Oh." I squeaked. _This was very odd._ I relaxed and tried to pretend everything was normal. I could feel Simons gaze on me.

"I feel like I'm missing something... how did you guys actually meet?" Simon asked

" _At a store_." I smiled coyly.

"Go on, what kind of store?" Simon encouraged.

"Well, I'm just trying to figure that out... I was just running from someone... or rather something. I suppose at the time I ran into the closest store that I could find and didn't leave until... I had to catch a train."

"Until you had to catch a train?" Simon was a bit unconvinced. His voice was rather unimpressed.

"That was the excuse I used to leave, so yes." Almost shocked with my bold truth, I let out a nervous smile.

"And whom were you running from?" Simon began to raise his eyebrows.I wondered if he was hinting Elias.

"I don't know, a big black glob-by thing with hundreds of needle-like teeth. It stunk like rotting flesh sort of, musty and damp that is when I ran into the closest store and it didn't come in." I shrugged with a smiled as I felt Silky embrace tighten. It was a bit quiet for some time. I could feel myself becoming uneasy, why do people have to know everything? Why am I now talking about something that I have always had to face? Everyone used to think of me as a freak, a burden or some sort of alien.

"I don't really talk about these sort of events in my life, sorry if I said too much." Maybe I did speak too much.

"Hm," Simon mused.

 _Authors Notes:_

 _I am rather interested what you all have to think._

 _At the time I uploaded this chapter I did it on my phone. I did go back and reword somethings and updated some grammar._

 _I hope this helps you see the beauty of options I am now faced with! I could really go on an adventure with you all!_

 _Let me know if you have any suggestions or any ideas!_

 _What do you think is going to happen next?!_

 _Take care!_

 _Peaches-and-tea_


	7. Chapter 7: Running from the storm

There was a long loathsome silence that poured out into the room. Silky was still holding me as she glowered at Simon. Simon, completely unaffected by Silky's behavior, continued to ponder about the things I just unveiled about myself.

Elias remained silent as he more or less observed my situation. Every part of me has wanted to escape this place, I was rather uncomfortable in this dreadful muteness.

I glanced around the room as I worried the edges of my oversized purse, as I continued to nervously chew on my bottom lip.

"Well, this changes things; this changes many things actually. " Simon broke the silence with his rippling thoughts.

"Thomas is probably waiting for-"

"It's not very common for fae or spirits to go chasing a human child, you seem to speak as if this is not the only occasion this has happened." Simon thought out loud, completely disregarding what I tried to say. "Hm," Father Simon breathed in disbelief.

I wasn't exactly sure what was beginning to unfold, I felt like Simon was trying to figure something out, although I wasn't sure if I liked it. I could feel Elias's gaze burning holes through me as I sat as still as I could, trying to dissolve from time and from this uncomfortable tense place. How can I get out of this one? I wouldn't want to run off like I did the first time I met Elias, nor do I want to be rude. Though I couldn't find any good excuses to leave. I twirled the thoughts around, savoring the taste of desperation.

"Would it be possible if I may bring medicine back to Thomas for his wife?" I managed to say in a hushed voice.

"Yes, I suppose you wouldn't want Thomas to be waiting too long." Simon mused.

Silky let me free from her embrace as she stood up and started to make her way out of the living room. It was not long till she came back with two bags on a serving tray full of what I am presuming was medicine.

"I actually have some business that I needed to talk to Elias about." Simon smiled over in my direction.

I nodded and started to go through my purse, rummaging for the envelope. As soon as I found it, I put it on the serving tray and stood up as Silky handed me a paper bag.

"Thank you very much." I put on a meager smile as I bowed my head.

Elias stood up, walking towards the doorway of the living room. He turned his head and stood still for a moment, which was my queue to follow. He led me to the entrance.

"It was a pleasure to meet you," he stretched his arm towards me with his palm facing up "Little puppy." He added as I offered him my hand hesitantly, a little unsure what he was doing. It was then I realized how big Elias truly was in comparison to me, he nearly towered over me with his figure and broad shoulders. He lifted his cloth away from his face, only to let me have nothing but a moment to have a glimpse of his face. He looked down at me with lustrous amber red globes, though I couldn't see any emotion on his ivory skull. I could see _nothing_ harsh in his eyes. He gave my hand a soft and tender squeeze as he let down the curtain of cloth to cover his skull head. My hand was engulfed in warmth as he slowly let his grasp relax. I let out a small smile as I withdrew my hand from his gentle embrace. It was nothing but a moment, yet there was something ancient and unspoken about this mage. I could feel something bubbling inside my chest, curiosity and amazement seeped through my mind as the mage opened the door for me. I remained flustered, finding myself still in a bit of a daze as I let myself out. Before I knew what I was doing I turned around to face the mage again.

"Thank you again, for everything," I spoke as he gave me a nod of acknowledgment. He closed the door quietly behind me as I walked down the deck and led myself down the dirt road driveway.

I pondered at the idea of walking through the forest but was hindered, at the reminder that the village was yet to be greeted by a storm. The thought by itself made me shiver as a knot began to form at the bottom of my stomach. _I certainly hope I will not be visited by any unwanted visitors on my way back home._ I let out a sigh as I looked up at the sky, I could see we were being visited by a few extra clouds. It was just after noon and the air suddenly felt more thick and dense. I took a deep breath as I journeyed my way back to the village.

I could feel myself being filled with regret, regret from running from Elias and Angelica when I was confronted with being able to see. Perhaps I should have used that opportunity to find out more about the creatures around me than just running away. I played with my thoughts, twisting it with my fingers while I imagined how I could have learned more about myself if I simply just stayed put.

As I came more close to the bakery the winds began to crawl through the trees and through the buildings. People scurried to their homes and began to prepare themselves for what was about to become of this place. The wind was warm, though small dribbles of rain escaped the clouds and landed on my warm cheeks. My pace started to quicken as I let myself into the bakery to deliver Thomas his wife's medicine.

"Thank you, Chise," Thomas said thankfully. "I'm glad you didn't get caught in the storm, though you better hurry home before it gets worse out there." He handed me a box of baked goods as thanks.

 _I don't think I will ever get tired of fresh baked goods!_ There was not much else to say when I obtained the baked treats, so we parted ways as Thomas and the others where beginning to clean up and get ready to go home.

The rain began plummeting down from the sky, meeting their fate as they were absorbed into the ground. The smell of the damp earth lingered in my nostrils, as I started to panic. I ran the rest of the way home, not heeding to anything. I didn't even stop to look around at the creatures that were beginning to crawl out their hiding places. As I met the door, I clenched it tight as the memories of my childhood began hitting me across my face. How creatures would fight over me, how I almost got eaten as a child or being chased and toyed with like a cat would with a mouse. This all happened when it would either rain or it was storming outside.

Tattered and mentally drained from the day, I settled myself into my apartment as I went around lighting candles and began to make some tea to have with the baked goods Thomas gave to me. I opened a window and let the sound and smell of rain dance into the apartment. Grumbles of thunder began to march across the sky as I opened a book and sipped my tea. I wrapped myself in a blanket and began to read to help my mind stay at ease.

 _Authors Notes:_

 _Sorry that it took so long to get this chapter published. I have been battling with some lovely depression the last few weeks. Finishing this chapter was a bit hard._

 _What do you guys think will happen next? I know that many of you thought that Chise was going to get caught up in the storm and suddenly Elias appears out of_ nowhere _and saves her. How is he supposed to track her? She isn't exactly his apprentice, as of yet._

 _Besides. I felt that that would have been too predicted. Besides, who says that the storm is yet over in the next chapter?_

 _Regardless if there is something that you would like me to write about or you have any recommendations for upcoming chapters, let me know! I would love to write more._

 _Hope all is well for all of you! Hope you have yourselves a lovely Easter and a lovely spring._


	8. Chapter 8: A wild Chase

There was nothing calming or pleasant about the vigorous storm that marched into the village early last night. The whole night, I laid stirring. Listening to the wind casting tree branches against the roof, while encouraging their fingernails to scratch the windows; all hours of the night. The apartment creaked and groaned as the storm carried on till morning. I spent most of my time curled up on the floor, in a cage of my own thoughts. I tried bringing in broad breaths. I tried counting sheep. Yet I recognized myself laying next to no sleep at all.

My heart was taring though my chest while I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that there was nothing in the room with me. My mind started spinning spider webs of wretched things that lingered in the shadows of night. When light broke through the windows, the thunder still made its presence known. Reminiscing in the clouds, shaking the ground with its burley laugh. I looked over at the clock to see that it was approximately five am in the morning. I began to fold up my mat from the ground and eagerly got ready for work. I shoveled food down my throat as I rushed out of the apartment in a state of consternation.

I desperately hoped that Thomas would be at the bakery on time today, as I fantastically did not want to wait out in the rain. I ended up walking through a maze while I made my way to work. Escorting myself around puddles and walking over chunks of tree branches that had fallen from the strong winds from last night. I caught myself still trembling at the thought of the kinds of creatures that could possibly still be lurking out on the streets. When I finally met the door of the bakery, I breathed in gulps air of relief.

"That was some nasty storm there, last night, huh?" Thomas asked in a bland voice.

"And that wind, oh she blows and blows. I didn't get much sleep last night. All that ruckus and howling. Oh, I twisted and turned like a worm." Thomas complained.

"Coffee is a brewing in the back dear, I can't imagine you got much sleep either." Thomas motioned his hand to the back and started to put a row of bowls out on the counter. He brought in some dough, putting them on the counters. I could overhear him smacking balls of dough on the counter as the fans started to blow throughout the bakery.

The heat of the ovens felt nice, it was then I realized how stiff and chilled to the bone I was. I waited for the coffee machine to finish spitting coffee out the filter. I breathed in the warm earthy, yet pungent aroma of the cinnamon sprinkled coffee. It was the only way Thomas liked it, just a shy amount of cinnamon on top of the grounds. It was just enough to give it the right amount of warmth that is needed. I laid out two mugs for Thomas and me. My fingers began to thaw against the hot mug of the steaming brew. I took a sip and savored every moment.

He liked his mug an eighth full of cream with three heaping spoons full of brown sugar. I handed him the cup of coffee as he began wiping his brow with the back of his forearm.

"Thanks, doll," he muttered as he reached for the cup of coffee. He had taken a generous sip of coffee before he gasped for air.

"Ahh, that's what I needed, right here!" He brought in another sip. The man loves his coffee, which he has gotten me hooked on since day one. I even bought myself coffee for home, which I now drink religiously.

"I was thinking that we should bake up some snickerdoodle muffins with some cream cheese filling! What do you reckon?" His voice marveled at the thought. I don't know why he asked me what I thought, the decision was already set in stone. It was the town's favorite muffin. We only made it when the weather was lousy and didn't offer much joy to the village. He didn't even have to ask me to get started, I already began to pull out all the ingredients. He simply just smiled and nodded as he started to kneed some dough and place pans full of raw dough into the ovens.

We opened at six-forty-five am sharp, every day, but Sundays. Sundays are a day of rest, as Simon and Thomas liked to say. I finished pouring the batter into the muffin liners and pushed the trays into the oven and started on the cream cheese filling. His little secret was he liked to add a little bit of lemon zest and vanilla. There were a few other ingredients that I added to help promote the cream cheese to become more of a whipped texture.

I began to chop up vegetables for the soup of the day. Today was spicy tomato Tuscan bean and cheese soup. Thomas hated anything ordinary. He seemed to thrive on change. Always trying new recipes and letting the town decide if it was something worth keeping or not. Ever since Thomas opened the bakery, we have had nothing but business. Not only from the villagers but nearby villagers as well. Some people have even confessed that Thomas's bread was better than there moms or grandmas baking recipes. Which, most people blushed at their bold truth that escaped their lips and laughed it off nervously. The bread that we made was indeed soft, it literally melted in your mouth and was ever so delightful. Everyone had a weakness for Thomas's bakery here in this village and nearby villages.

As soon as we started a pot of coffee and tea for customers, we opened the doors and let the wind carry in people. Many people smiled as soon as they sniffed the warm crisp air in the bakery. It was as if people in the town knew we were making snickerdoodle muffins today. People began coming by the dozens after I had added in the cream cheese filling. Within the first hour, I was already making a second batch of muffins and second pot of coffee for the customers. People loved to stop by and take some baked goods to work with them. I loved hearing peoples feedback, I know deep down it made Thomas proud of his bakery. He took pride in what he did.

I was taking out a couple of trays when I looked up to see two light brown eyes looking back at me. Elias was here in his glamorous form. His long hair brushed passed his ears. Everything about this form was a little bit too perfect.

"Ah, Ainsworth!" Thomas sang as he took a sip from his cup of coffee. It was a little bit afternoon and he was still trying to complete his first cup of coffee.

"Hello, Elias" I chimed in as I set the trays down and took off my oven mitts. I made my way to the back to pour myself a second cup of coffee. The two men began to chat.

"It's been a while since I have seen you, how have you been?" Thomas asked.

"Fairly well, I thought I would come in and check and see how things are with your wife."

"Ah, yes. She is starting to get her strength back again. She is able to walk around and do trivial things around the house."Thomas said with a chuckle.

"Glad to hear she is doing well." Elias smiled.

"Oh, yes! She's a hoot that girl. She even got all the doctors riled up, though they say that whatever we are doing to keep doing. She just keeps improving!"Thomas praised. Elias gave a simple nod and glanced down at me as I came back to their conversation. I had a mouthful of coffee in my mouth when he glanced down at me behind the counter. I was enjoying my small bits of heaven from the simple cup of coffee and cream I poured myself.

"You've met Chise, yes?" Thomas elbowed me as he gave me a wink. I smiled politely. If only he knew. Yes, he has met me. Several times now.

"Yes, we have met." He gave me a crooked smile with a sparkle in his eye.

"Have you tried our muffins yet Ainsworth, you must simply try a muffin?" Thomas obviously got bored of the original topic and moved to something he could talk more about. Thomas didn't even give Elias a chance to respond before he handed him a plate with a snickerdoodle muffin with butter on the side.

"What is it?" Elias asked.

"It's magic," Thomas said in a sneaky suspicious tone of voice. I nearly spat out my coffee when he said that and tried not to laugh. Elias seemed to catch on to my sense of humor and chuckled.

"Chise made these. It's the third batch today, this one is on us."Thomas said with one brow cocked up.

"Well then, I'm sure they are magical indeed. Thank you." Elias gave me another glance before sitting poured him a cup of tea while he continued to talk Elias's ear off.

I made my way to the back of the bakery to start cleaning up and prepping for tomorrow. There was something that resonated with me, that took delight in seeing Elias today. I was a bit unsure why, but I knew that for sure he was a kind person. Maybe a bit strange, but he was a good person.

When the day was finished, Thomas and I had to stay a little late because someone called in sick and was not able to show up for work. Both of us left the bakery debilitated. He sent me home with some soup and bread since neither of us had a chance to even sit down and appreciate lunch. Not even a fifteen-minute break for that matter. I suppose the only time I considered to actually stand back and enjoy myself, was when Elias came by. He ended up purchasing a couple of loaves of bread and leaving with not much else to say but a few words of appreciation.

Something I noticed about working with Thomas was If I worked hard, Thomas worked five times harder. He constantly made sure all of us were well kept and taken care of. Today was an exception though, neither of us even had a chance to finish our first cup of coffee till afternoon. As soon as one of us tried to sit down after a swarm of customers, another rush of people came in.

I smiled to myself as I began to walk home. Though I couldn't really enjoy myself for very long once I started to take notice of something strange. I felt as if I was being watched somehow. I glanced behind me to see a person walking about five meters behind me in a black suit. The person wore a magicians hat and was walking with a cane. I pursued to walk a bit faster as I felt suspicious of this person walking behind me. Soon I felt another presence to the side of me, who was also wearing all black. I couldn't make out either of their faces, both figures were looking down. By this time I knew something was off and made a sharp turn to walk somewhere else to make an escape. I could tell they were tracking me, even when I was almost on the outskirts of town, they were still there. That is when I decided to drop my stuff and run as fast as I could, I also could hear footsteps close behind me.

* * *

 _Authors notes:_

 _Sorry for all the grammar errors and whatnot. This is something that I am trying to improve on._

 _Let me know what you think of this chapter! You could even go as far as to tell me what you would like me to write more about as well!_

 _This week has been a really rough week for me... I recently found out that someone I knew took their life..._

 _I don't know when the next chapter will be out but I am still currently working on it._

 _I hope you all are well._

 _Take care_


	9. Chapter 9 You can run but you can't hide

I peeked into a forest as soon as I found an opening. I was able to make out the figures. They collaborated with each other while running after me. I was anxious about being in an unfamiliar place, at the same time I felt uneasy. I wasn't sure who I running from or what I would find out here in the forest. The sky was filled with clouds but withheld the rain as I sauntered deeper into the Forrest.

"Don't lose her!" I could hear a voice shouting out.

I fed off of my adrenaline and ran with the wind. I kept running till I was sure I lost the men looking for me. I couldn't understand why they were running after me. Perhaps, they have the wrong person.

I rummaged through the forest till I found an enormous tree and began to climb. I climbed until I reached the top branch, I dared to not look down. All I could recognize was just leaves and branches. I looked up to the sky and could distinguish rays of sun breaching through the clouds. I sighed and could feel my heartbeat in my ears.

A huge gust of wind blew through the branches. I was swaying on the branch as I held on for dear life while closing my eyes. How long will I have to stay up here?

I shifted my weight and sat on the branch with both my thighs hugging tightly around the branch. I made sure my front was facing the base of the tree so that I could wrap my arms securely around the trunk. I listened to the creeks and groans of the surrounding trees. I looked around to observe birds fluttering in the air. The winds died down and I held myself tighter to the tree. Everything went silent as I could hear a faint melody coming from many trees away below. I tried to get a glimpse of what was going on down beneath. Have I been found? I looked over to the next tree which was only an arms reach away. If I have been found then I need to escape. Now. Or I could stay put till they give up. The likely hood of them finding me now is very slim. I stood still in silence and listened to the melody. It was getting louder and louder now.

I decided to stay up in the tree till all was still and quiet.

"I knew I smelt you!" I heard a voice over my shoulder.

"My dainty little Robin, why are you up in the tree?"

"Oh, uh." I lost my words.

"Are you in trouble? Come down, nothing will hurt you now."The little Aerial coaxed.

"There are men chasing me," I sighed.

"There is certainly no men around here right now Chise, come! Meet the Queen and King of my homeland. They are waiting for you, you know!"

"What? Why?"I began to panic.

"Because you are our little Robin in distress. Come on!"The little Aerial began to fly around me frantically. I was a bit hesitant at first.

"Don't worry your pretty little head, you are our Robin after all." The aerial giggled with glee as she continued to fly around me.

I began to ease myself down the tree as the Aerial weaved herself around the branches as I climbed down the tree. My heart began to race as my anxiety began to skyrocket.

There was too much happening right now.

When the ground became more visible that's when I saw them. I got a glimpse of a lady sitting on a donkey with breasts being held up by her dress. She wore a long black silk dress with a golden corset that pushed her breasts up. She had long black hair and delicate porcelain skin. There was a satyr beside her. He had a broken left antler and dark mossy green hair. He had honey golden eyes and wore fur around his waist.

I reached to the bottom of the tree and jumped down.

"What a precious sight, " The creature with antlers spoke up as he danced over to my side.

"But I must wonder, out of all rare things..." The creature thought out loud.

"Why are you, a sleigh beggy hidden up in a tree?"

Right then, the Aerial flew to his side and whispered something. His eyes grew more dominant as he gazed at me.

"I see." His lips curled into a smile.

"I am Oberon. This is my beautiful wife Titania!" I looked up to see Titania looking at me with knowing eyes. It was as if she could see right through me.

"You could stay with us, our dear little Robin." The woman finally spoke up as she slid herself off a white donkey. The donkey was littered with gold and decorations. There were black dogs that sat contentedly beside a rock looking figure. It had a round body made of rocks and a small round head. He gawked at me with steady eyes, an intense stare is all that he exchanged with me. It made me a bit uneasy.

"Don't mind that old man. He is just cranky." Oberon jumped to my side and grabbed ahold of my arm and pulled me towards his wife. Her smile grew as she reached out towards me and grabbed a strand of hair. She then began to caress my cheeks.

"You know, you could stay with us. In the land of fairies, you could be safer with us." Titania spoke sweetly. Her words were as smooth as butter.

"You shouldn't worry about a commoner like her." Snorted the rock figure.

"Why must you hate anything that is not a fae Spriggan?" Oberon walked towards him with his hands up.

"She isn't just any commoner, but a rarity." His voice boomed as he turned to look at me with mischievous eyes.

"We are the King and Queen of Tír na nÓ, you would be much happier if you were to come with us. It is a beautiful land; you would enjoy yourself."

"You don't have any family Robin," The Aerial landed on my shoulder and kissed my cheek.

"My adorable little Robin, we could be your family." She continued.

What they were claiming was true, I don't have any family. But I would just be another burden to these kind people.

"I'm sorry I cannot accept." I blurted.

"It's very nice to meet you, but I need to go before I'm found out." I let out a small smile.

"Found? Well, we found you. You should reconsider your options dear child. We would protect you. We would be everything that you need."

"As lovely as that sounds, I need to go. They are still looking for me." I took a step back from the two beings. The queens' brows slowly knit together as a puzzled look on her face appeared.

"Whom are you running from?" She paused and sniffed the air and closed her eyes as she began to mutter softly into the air.

"Alchemists? Hmm," she thoughtfully said with a smile.

Without much effort, she raised her hand, and air began to blow wildly. My heart started to beat faster and more unsteady. Out of the north and the west, two of the male figures appeared as they were taken from both directions.

"It appears that they were still searching for you." She muttered softly.

The two alchemists were on the ground on their knees.

They glanced around in shock until they noticed I was standing in front of them. Then the cold look in their eyes returned.

"Don't utter a word." The one with the hat spat words to his superior.

"Whom is it that you seek?" Titania asked with her hands caressing softly on the man with the hat.

"We have come for the Sleigh Beggy." The one in the hat stood up waving Tatinias' hand away. He glared at me with brown eyes and one cocked eyebrow.

"We know who you are, Miss. Chise Hatori." He said coolly.

"It would be a shame if you were caught by the authorities and returned to Japan." He shrugged.

"We could change that for if you decide to come with us willingly."

"What makes you think she would go with two strange men? You alchemists are all the same." Oberon sneered.

"Besides, she is our Sleigh beggy. We have been keeping a very keen eye on our Robin."Oberon took my hand and pulled me towards Titania as she wrapped her arms around me protectively.

"She belongs to us." The Queen smiled.

"I didn't realize that this human would have any interest in the Queen of all Fairies." The other alchemist said coldly.

He also stood up and stood beside the man with a hat.

"She is profoundly a rarity among all parties, whose to say she wants to belong to monsters like yourselves?" The man in the hat spoke up.

Tatania shuffled me back into her arms and clutched tightly.

"This child belongs to this land just as much as you. If you simply plan to just dance around the subject that you are trying to take my child from me there is going to be a problem."

"Thus, are you simply dancing around the fact that you are inclined to curse us because of this child that you claim to be yours?"

"She is not just mine," Titania let me go and waved in the air.

"She is ours." She smiled as small aerials appeared by all her sides.

I looked at the Alchemists. They were wide-eyed and simply in shock at what their minds were absorbing.

One of them muttered something under his breath as he took a step forward.

 _Authors Notes:_

 _Hey guys! Thank you so much for reading chapter 9!_

 _I really want to thank all of your understanding, I needed some time to gather my thoughts lately._

 _Regardless, here is an updated chapter! I will probably go back and edit if I find anything that needs to be modified._

 _Please let me know what you think! What do you think will happen next? I literally have no idea what is going to happen next!_

 _May I also mention that I am so sad that the anime is over? UGH now I have to wait a month for every chapter._

 _I certainly hope that there is going to be a season 2! That would make my life._

 _Another thing I have decided is that I think I will be doing a total of 15 chapters on this fanfiction. Maybe less, not sure..._

 _I just have so many more ideas I want to write about on this Manga! I love it so much. To the moon and back!_

 _Anyways, have a wonderful day! Please let me know what you think! It really helps me a lot. I literally live on reviews._

 _It helps me grow and helps me think!_

 _Let me know!_

 _Peaches and Tea_


	10. Chapter 10

I suppose there wasn't much left for me to do after the alchemists decided that I wasn't worth the fight. "Watch your back Chise; we aren't the only ones that know about you." He shifted his weight to his other leg and continued. "But if you ever are in a pinch, we are students from the college." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a card.

I looked up to the alchemist in the hat. "You're students?" My jaw dropped.

"We just have a couple of questions."

"Then why didn't you say so?" I spat back.

"Mr big shot here thought this was a good approach." He answered coolly as he motioned with his hands towards the other alchemist. He then swayed his hand forward to take off his hat. "My names Darren but you can call me Dizzy."

"Wh- what?" He had long burgundy hair that was held back in a ponytail. The other alchemist approached me and held out his hand. I felt my face throbbing, my arms tingling and my legs aching. Titania let me go with a worried look on her face.

"My name is Les," He said with a giddy voice. I reached out to shake his hand as he hungrily grabbed my hand.

"It's such a blessing that you are alive." He shook my hand hard and stopped to pinch my cheek. I started leaning back, that was Dizzys' queue to step in and stop Les. In one quick motion, he whacked Les in the back of the head. Les finally stopped, but only did so with a frown on his face.

"Suppose we should cut this visit short and take our leave, seeing how we aren't allowed to take you." Dizzy shrugged and put back his hat.

"Sorry for all the trouble we put you in Chise," Les said with a sad face. Dumbfounded, I just nodded and tried to accept their apology. I watched them walk off. I put my hand in my coat pocket. I pulled back at the touch of something sharp. I took a breath and shoved my hand carefully back into my pocket. I pulled out a card to read

 _'Darren Emerson'_

 _'Student of Magic arts'_

Along with it stated his email and phone number. The lettering was engraved into a black business card and had gold lettering.

"What are we to do with you," sighed Titania sighed. _There was nothing she could do. She has already done enough._

"My child, you refuse to rely on us for help. Is there someone that you would rely on?" _Why would I need to rely on anyone? If life has taught me anything it is to not rely on anyone._

"You must at least know of someone who knows who you are; someone that would be willing to protect you." Oberon chimed as he walked over to Titanias side. My mind was racing until I came to think of just the right person who may be able to help me.

"I do know of someone, please don't worry about yourselves over me." I smiled."I'm fine!" I added.

Titania looked at me in disbelief but soothes her face with a small smile. "My offer still stands little one, your life is precious to us." She turned herself towards the donkey and slid herself up. "Sadly, we will have to cut our little visit short as well. It was a pleasure to meet you, Robin." she looked me in the eyes and smiled.

I bowed my head. "Thank you for your help."

Oberon danced around his wife as they started to move. He made his way around me "I suppose I should _warn_ you to be careful around a certain ancient someone around here. Hmm?"He giggled and pranced around me some more.

"Oberon don't tease children who cannot defend themselves."

"Oh, alright," Oberon said dryly.

"Take care precious Robin."

It wasn't long after that, that I made my way back to town. I wasn't exactly sure where I was but if I could find a road nearby then I will be able to find where I am. I chewed on the words that Titania spoke about getting help. My mind only traced back to when I first came to England. That bookstore, where I met Elias and Angelica. It was Angelica who had her shop was full of stones. I remember reading that book that had a list of stones in it. Some were used for protection while others were used as a way to aid people with some of their needs. Perhaps there is a stone that could help hide the fact that I am a sleigh beggy, or whatever I am.

I was tangled in branches while thorns were scratching against my arms. I was completely soaked from the newly rained on land. I must have hurt my ankle as I was noticing how I was favoring it. The sun was going to set in the next hour so. I must be getting home soon. I kept moving forward till I found a road. That's when I realized that I looked very much like a mess. I pulled a twig out from my hair and looked at my scratched up arms. My clothes were torn from all the branches pulling at me. By the time I gathered myself, the sun had been beginning to set. I took a breath and forced myself to walk. It didn't take long till I found what road I was on. I passed a couple of people who had a concerned look on their face but walked by me quickly without a second glance. I must look like a basket case. I found my soup and bread and picked up my stuff from where I dropped it. I let out a long sigh and made my way home. I passed the train station and looked up to see Elias stepping off the train. _Crap._ I looked down and pretended I didn't see him. _He definitely saw me. Hopefully, I don't look as questionable as I feel._ I looked up to see him approaching me. I let my eyes look down and tried to smile. _It didn't really work. I kind of felt like crying if anything._

"Chise." I froze. _Why did this somehow feel familiar? Bruised, tired, and afraid to be found out._ "Hello, Elias," I muttered. He stopped in front of me in his glamour. I didn't want to look up. I felt too emotionally drained from this day.

"Chise, did something happen?" I bit my lip and stared at his shoes.

"It's nothing." I looked up and smiled. Which, was my first mistake.

"What happened to your face?"

"Oh, I was just in the forest." He cocked his head to one side like a dog would.

"Does that explain the condition of your clothes as well?" I looked down at the condition of my clothes, that were tattered and bloody. I looked back up and bit my lip. I wasn't sure if I should tell him everything or how I could convince him I was just on a little walk. Instead, I said nothing and looked away.

"Very well," I looked back at him as he let out a long sigh and took a step towards me. Before I could question what he was doing he picked me up in his arms and began to walk. I bit my lip in utter shock. Why is Elias carrying me? I began to panic.

"Uh, what are- what are you _doing_?" I asked.

 _Authors Notes:_

 _I really wanted to quickly focus on how awkward and different Elias's behavior is around other social beings. I suppose Chise is safe, for now, that is. She has a bit more digging to do to figure out how to protect herself. I wanted to push Elias and Chise into a friendship and a more trusting relationship. Here is the first step!_

 _Take care and let me know what you think._

 _I will probably go back and edit any issues. I made a rash decision and decided to post this even though it's still kind of fresh right from the oven._

 _Any ways, take care._

 _Peaches and Tea_


	11. Chapter 11

"I can't leave a hurt puppy on the side of the road." He said.

"You know you can put me down I-I can walk just fine," I huffed. I could feel myself getting flushed.

"Hush, I'm not putting you down. Besides, it's getting dark and we wouldn't want you to get lost now do we?" Elias answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

Heat began to spread across my cheeks as I felt myself get flustered, I haven't been held in a long time. There was no reason to feel intimidated by Elias, but I couldn't help shake the feeling that there was something mysterious about Elias Ainsworth. Why was he helping me? Does he know what I am too? Questions popped up in my head that made me start to chew on some thoughts. I took in a long breath and opened my mouth as we walked down a winding path.

"Elias?" Wait what am I doing?

"Hmmm" I closed my eyes

"Do you know what I am?"

"I do." My heart dropped. How is it that everyone seems to know what I am except me? Did he know from the beginning? Perhaps that's why he pointed out I have the sight.

"You are what they call a sleigh beggy."

"A sleigh beggy?"

"You are rather rare among your kind, you possess the sight."

"What does sleigh beggy mean?" There was a moment of silence before Elias spoke.

"An apt comparison might be to a queen bee."

"A queen bee?"

"Yes, those like you have the ability to summon all manners of things." I still feel confused...

"Fae beings are like worker bees who flock to the Queen, whether or not she sees them. Those of your kind that cannot see them bring both good and bad luck."

"How is it bad luck to not see them?"

"Fae notions of gifts and favors aren't always in a humans best interest. However, their fondness means you will never have a lack of help. Magic often requires their aid. Their willing assistance will be a great asset to you."

I chewed on my lower lip trying to make sense of what he was saying. Their willing assistance will be a great asset?

"Ah just as I hoped. We made it."

Elias still didn't put me down even though we were standing in front of his house. He began to mutter something quietly, or maybe it was a different language. Just then the front door to the house opened before him and closed behind him as he walked in. I was expecting him to set me down, but he took me upstairs and we headed down the hall. Before I could connect the dots, we entered a bathroom. Why are we in the bathroom? Perhaps he wants me to wash? He placed me down and turned on the water.

"You are filthy, Chise. I doubt you can work the tub, I will scrub you clean."

"What?!" I panicked. His words rang in my head. He doesn't mean what I think he means, does he? Before I could protest, he pulled my shirt over my head.

"No, no, no, no I can bathe myself! I don't need your help, I'm not a kid." I pulled my arm out and grabbed his wrist.

"Please, it's okay I can do this!"

"Stop fussing like a kitten!" He stated.

I fought him the whole time, he took my bra, my pants, and underwear off. He plucked me off the ground and gently sat me down into the bath. He then threw in herbs and oils into the bath. I held my hands up to my face. There is no God. He saw everything. He then proceeded to gently wash me, scrubbing my hair with lavender scented shampoo. He made sure to not get anything in my eyes as he rinsed the soap off.

"There, come out when you have warmed up. I will leave a change of clothes for you in my bedroom. It's the bedroom with the door open." He shut the door behind him and I was left in silence. I let out a long sigh and laid down in the tub in disbelief. What is happening?

 _Authors Notes:_

 _Yes, yes I know it is incredibly short! But I wanted you all to know that I am still, indeed alive! I will try to work on some more writing this month! Please take care and let me know what your thoughts are about this short chapter! Any ideas or requests for these two?_


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